Home Forums Bows and Equipment How many bows do you have?

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    • Etter1
        Post count: 831

        I’ve bought and sold a pse coyote and a bear grizzly.

        Both were before I really got into traditional archery and sold my compound.

        My first “real” bow was a Damon Howatt Monterey. 62″ and 50lbs.

        As a backup, I bought a Samick Red Stag at 60″ and 55lbs, which I backed with copperhead skins, and later carried more than my Howatt.

        UPS just busted all the skins and glue off that bow so I don’t know if it’ll be useful again, but I replaced that bow with my dream bow.

        I’m sure you’ve already seen it. Black Widow PA. 60″ and 57lbs with western diamondback backed skins.

        I’m sure I will, but it will be a long time before I buy another bow.

        So, who’s got what? What do you love? What have you gotten rid of? How many are in your corral?

      • Michael Scott
          Post count: 80

          I still shoot the first trad bow handed to me to try out. A Bear Grizzly 58″, 55@28″. I draw 29 1/2″ and 60#. It was my uncle’s bow, but he gave it to me when I started shooting regularly. If I ever decide to get rid of it, it will go back to him, as that’s the agreement we have. I’ve killed two deer with it. It is my primary go-to bow for shooting and hunting.

          I have a pawn shop special that I got for $75. It is a 70’s Bear Kodiak Magnum. Love the green with the blue laminate stripe. It is marked as a 55x@28″. When I got it, I pointed out that it had a slight twist in one limb, so the guy said they could knock some off on the price for me. Deal. I put a new string on it, and tuned it to shoot the same arrows as my Grizzly. Worked out great! The strike plate finally wore enough that I had to take it off. Written underneath the strike plate is the actual draw weight…57#. I draw this bow to 60#, just like the Grizzly.

          I have my dad’s old (80’s model) Big Sky Magnum compound. I had all the hardware stripped off of it and had a flipper site and new cable put on it. I had it set at 60#, to match my recurves. All three bows shoot the same arrows. Only difference, I can shoot vanes off the flipper rest on the compound.

          My wife has a Shakespeare Wonderbow, left handed that we bought at a 3D shoot for her. She hasn’t shot much since the year we bought it. Mostly due to raising kids. Imagine that!

          I have a 25#, 62″ Bear Grizzly with white fiberglass that I got from a friend out of his garage. I know nothing about it, but am in the process of tuning it to shoot a 2016 aluminum with a 145 gr. field tip. It does alright. I just have to find the sweet spot in the brace height for that arrow.

          My step son has a custom lefty Shafer Silvertip kid’s longbow that he enjoys shooting.

          I am hoping to start my daughter shooting soon, if she so desires. I have a small PVC bow that my uncle built that should suit her well.

          Anyway, that’s my current collection of bows…

          I am working on a juniper self bow that may or may not pan out, due to the severe twist the tree had. We will find out eventually.

        • Paul Mwttmann
          Member
            Post count: 10

            Two bows. My go to hunting bow is a Big Jim’s Buffalo bow 62# which absoutly smokes and is a pleasure to shoot. And every time I pick it up I admire the craftsmanship that has gone into it. My other bow which I have shot for many years is a Sky Trophy longbow 52# which I still also shoot regularly.

          • mhay
              Post count: 264

              At this time I am shooting an early ’80’s Jefferey , 62” , 55#@28”. It was my Dad’s bow .

              Just recently got another of Dad’s from my younger brother .

              1970 Bear Grizzly , 45# @ 28”,,,,56”bow. I took a deer with it in ’88.

              Last February ,I ordered a new 64” Super Kodiak from 3 Rivers Archery . 45# @ 28”. Mounted the Fred Bear Custom quiver and filled it with Legacy 2216’s ,,125grain AceStandard broadheads on 125gr steel adapters.

              Between set up and the week between Christmas and New years I doubt I missed more than ten days of not shooting .

              One morning after xmas I was enjoying my coffee and holding the SK. As I slid my hand along the lower recuve I felt something rough . I quickly got under a strong light and discovered the glass on the belly side was separating from the maple. I nearly puked !

              Immediately stripped the bow and called Bear Customer Service . They are replacing the bow . It should be here any day now . They have been on back order on this model and I’m told by the Rep. at Bear they are hand made , one at a time .

            • Bruce Smithhammer
                Post count: 2514

                Currently I have 5 bows:

                Robertson Fatal Styk – 60″ #54

                Robertson Tribal Styk – 60″ #54

                1970 Kodiak Magnum – 52″ #50

                Kanati hybrid – 56″ – #53

                Howatt/Martin Savannah – 62″ #55

                The Robertsons definitely get the most use, though I love pulling out the old Kodiak now and then. The two hybrids are also sweet shooters, I just haven’t ‘connected’ with them as much as the others.

              • ArrwSlngnArtist
                  Post count: 3

                  I currently have a 1977 Bear Alaskan compound that my dad bought for me years ago, my brother and I shot compounds growing up. But after years of just shooting and not feeling that thrill which I used to love ever time we all practiced, I decided it was time to try something different.

                  Which prompted me to buy my first recurve (actually the first bow I’ve ever bought myself), the Hoyt Dorado with a black riser and 50 lb camo limbs. After half an hour, my arms were sore and I was in love with archery again. This last season was my first time bow hunting, my dad and I were not fortunate enough to bag any game, but I wouldn’t trade that first hunt for anything. Learning how to stalk game, read tracks, practice with distance by stump shooting and other fond memories I will cherish with my dad!

                  Two weeks ago I started a new job, working with my dads best friend as a roofer and on the third day, he gave me his fathers old recurve. I held in my hands a 1953 Bear Tigercat set at 53 lbs, which was still strung and doesn’t look as if it’s been unstrung in awhile. I want to try shooting it, but I’m afraid the string might snap, I waxed it the day I brought it home and was wondering if I could use my stringer to take the old bow down, any ideas? I appreciate it!

                • BuckyT
                    Post count: 138

                    Only 1 at the moment.

                    White Wolf Beowulf. 62″ 56lbs @ 28″

                    My next bow will be a longbow. Still haven’t made my mind up on the model yet?

                  • Alexandre Bugnon
                    Member
                      Post count: 681

                      Right now:

                      56″ 55# Shrew Classic Hunter foam/carbon (the only one I’ve shot for the last three years)( nicknamed SST )

                      68″ 63# Classic D-shaped Yew lams(4) bow made by a Swiss bowyer

                      64″ 63# one piece Schafer Longbow by David Windauer ( The Collector)

                      60″ 63# Osage Self bow built by Paul Brunner ( Buffalo Runner)

                      55# Bear Super Kodiak ( nicknamed AWB! not Average White Band, but All Weather Bow! A real mule 🙂 )

                      All of the above are my keepers. I’ve bought and sold about 6 or 7 more. I haven’t bought a single bow in 3 years, and was cured from buyanewbowholism since I acquired my CH. I really don’t want to buy another bow, aside from giving some support to Gregg Coffey with his new line at Javaman archery and have him build me a 56″ high 50’s( pounds) Elkheart !!

                    • David Coulter
                      Member
                        Post count: 2293

                        I started out with a circa 1973 Browning Wasp, 45# and a few years ago moved up to my Leon Stewart Slammer Special, a RD longbow at 45#. That’s the only bow I’ve shot since I got it. It’s a great bow. A pleasure to shoot, quiet and fast. I don’t see getting anything else anytime soon, unless I’m able to get an elk hunt on the schedule. That ain’t likely anytime soon unless they get reintroduced to the Poconos!

                      • Wexbow
                          Post count: 403

                          Only my cheap and cheerful Samick Sage but I’m aiming to get Henry Bodnik of Bearpaw in Germany to make me a custom bow in the next year or so, finances allowing!

                        • Etter1
                            Post count: 831

                            Wexbow wrote: Only my cheap and cheerful Samick Sage but I’m aiming to get Henry Bodnik of Bearpaw in Germany to make me a custom bow in the next year or so, finances allowing!

                            Cheap don’t mean nothing! That is a good bow. I chose to hunt with my Samick 90% of the time this year. I’m blown away by what you get for the money from that company.

                          • Wexbow
                              Post count: 403

                              I love it Etter and it’s been my training tool from the start of my trad love affair. But I’m getting a longing for one of Henry’s beautiful creations and something special just for me, if you know what I mean…

                            • bauder
                                Post count: 1

                                I have 29 custom longbows.I have been doing this for a long time and longbows flyrods shotguns and pugs are my passion. 2 pronghorn one piece three thunderhorns one two and three piece 1 kohannna 1bow river 3 northern mist 1 fox 6 morrison1 moosejaw 1 deathwish 1 shrew 2 rivers edge 4 robertson 2 big jim 1 black widow

                              • Troy Breeding
                                  Post count: 994

                                  I just hung a new bow rack on the wall for my glass bows. It holds 8 bows. Gonna build another for my selfbows. That one will need to hold atleast 20. After that I need to build a rack for the extra limbs for the glass bows. I’ll have to do some counting before I build it.

                                  Troy

                                • Ripforce
                                    Post count: 225

                                    Bama Expedition Osage Royal 62in 47@28

                                    Bama Expedition Royal 64in 53@28

                                    Great Northern Bushbow 60in 52@28

                                    Hickory Selfbow 66in 50@28

                                    Bama Hunter Longbow 66in 50@28

                                    Shakespeare Necedeh 56in 45@28

                                    Got a NEW 64 Howard Hill style Bama “Tribute” on order w a Black Locust riser, built with all USA woods! Naming it the “All American”

                                  • Etter1
                                      Post count: 831

                                      bauder wrote: I have 29 custom longbows.I have been doing this for a long time and longbows flyrods shotguns and pugs are my passion. 2 pronghorn one piece three thunderhorns one two and three piece 1 kohannna 1bow river 3 northern mist 1 fox 6 morrison1 moosejaw 1 deathwish 1 shrew 2 rivers edge 4 robertson 2 big jim 1 black widow

                                      Wow!

                                    • sinawalli
                                        Post count: 222

                                        Not enough! Bows are like guns and tattoos, you can’t have just one! Currently have a Chekmate Beaver Creek long bow, and a 1970 Bear Grizzly. Selling the Grizzly to fund another project!

                                      • Goraidh
                                          Post count: 101

                                          I’ve two bows: a Martin Mountaineer longbow 60# @ 28 and a Bear Grizzly 50# @ 28. Love them both.

                                        • Brennan Herr
                                          Member
                                            Post count: 403

                                            Just a ’68 bear kodiak hunter 50@28….I love her but in a few weeks an Elkheart will replace her. She will be placed in safe keeping for the boys when they are ready.

                                          • lyagooshka
                                              Post count: 600

                                              I have an old longbow, 52# @ 28″, 68″. No make or model, just a {shoddy} made bow I paid $100 for. I am pretty sure I heard it crack one time when stringing it. Oh well. I play around with it and will probably use it as a guide when I make my own selfbow. My next one is a InterNature? TD recurve 45# @28″, 62″?. It’s a take-down with a spot for just about any attachment you can think of, from stabilizer to quiver to arrow-rest. I actually shoot it off the spring-wire rest as the shelf is pretty flat and will probably not work well for shooting, although it is padded. My third is a Crow Creek, Black Feather TD hybrid, 52# @28″, 66″? (I can’t keep track of all these lengths 😳 ). Awesome bow. Love to tinker with it, tune it, shoot it, feel it in my hand. Just an awesome weapon. I hunt with it every now and again, but mainly use it for the regular/3D range. Next is my JavaMan American LB, 50# @ 28”, 66”?. This one, I “hated” so much that I ordered a second one about a week after I got it. I think my arrows each weigh more than the bow, and it shoots so quiet that I could swear the voices in my head drop a few decibels when I let the string go 😈 . This is my primary hunter, though that will change when the second JM is done (hopefully soon). It will be (if I remember) 70” and about 80# at 28”. I have started to consider taking the recurve out a bit more into some of the thick stuff as I find it difficult to maneuver the longer bows. Just a thought. As the weather gets a bit warmer, I will be getting out more and more, not just to shoot, but to “stalk” those 3D targets and see if I can get some shots of from various positions, angles, etc.

                                              Now, if you ask the spousal unit “how many bows does your husband have?” Her answer would be simple: “Too many!” 🙄 Whatcha gonna do? Be well.

                                              Alex

                                              😀

                                            • Jason Wesbrock
                                              Member
                                                Post count: 762

                                                I actually had to stop and think about this one. For the overwhelming majority of my shooting, I use the following two bows:

                                                Hunting bow: TradTech Titan riser with Winex limbs. Pulls 56# @ 32” and sends a 500-grain arrow 200 fps.

                                                Target bow: Spigarelli BB riser with SF Ultimate Carbon Pro limbs and a bunch of other stuff set up for IBO Recurve Unaided class. It pulls 44# @ 32” and shoots a 242-grain arrow 235 fps Please don’t ever try shooting an arrow that light with a bow not designed to handle it. I also use it for competitive paper shoots (since I’m too cheap to buy a second target rig), but it’s primarily a 3D setup.

                                                And then we have the rest:

                                                Chek-Mate Hunter II with two sets of limbs: 53# @ 32” and 67# @ 32”.

                                                1960 Wilson Brothers TF, 42# @ 28”. I use it for small game hunting.

                                                Thunderstick MOAB longbow. I think it pulls 53# @ 31”, but I don’t exactly remember. I hunted with it for part of one year, killed a deer and some small game with it, and it’s hung in my basement ever since. It’s a nice bow—extremely fast—but I’m more partial to recurves.

                                                Root Game-Master, 45# @ 28”, mid-60s vintage, was my grandfather’s hunting bow. I’ve put several deer in the freezer with it too.

                                                Root Pendulus Supreme, 35# @ 28”, mid-60s vintage, was my father’s target bow. My wife used to shoot it when she still shot a recurve. She won quite a few trophies with that bow, as did my father when he was young.

                                                Root Brush-Master, 45# @ 28#, mid-60s vintage, was my father’s and great uncle’s hunting bow. I used it for bowfishing before finally retiring it several years ago.

                                                Root Game-Master, 45# @ 28”, early 60s vintage. Bought it off eBay. My current bowfishing rig.

                                                Two home-made recurves with a few different sets of limbs. I use one occasionally for small game, and the other I retired in 2006 after using it to take half a dozen deer, a hog, a moose, about a dozen grouse, and a bunch of squirrels between 2005 and 2006. I figure it doesn’t owe me anything else.

                                                Two bamboo-backed osage longbows I made in 2001 (I think). I used to have three, but gave the best of the bunch to a fellow in Ohio. The other two I’ve used to take a few squirrels and a bunch of carp.

                                                One rawhide-backed hickory longbow I made in 2000. I used it to kill a whitetail doe a few days after I tillered it and really haven’t shot it much since.

                                              • Goraidh
                                                  Post count: 101

                                                  Repost

                                                • codger
                                                  Member
                                                    Post count: 132

                                                    Well ive gott he herd pretty much thiinned out on that one im down to two recurves one Jeffery take down and one Kota the on the long bow side i currently own two tim Meigs longbows two Del Allen longbows one Sky trophy longbow a Kots longbow

                                                    a Dwight rudder and my pride and joy a John Schulz natural.

                                                    Im down from about 30 total bows to this motley little crrew.

                                                  • CareyE
                                                    Member
                                                      Post count: 111

                                                      My go to bow is my 54″ Shrew Recurve 53lbs@28″.

                                                      Also in my collection are:

                                                      62″ GN Bushbow 57lbs@ 26″

                                                      58″ Thunderhorn Coup Stik 55lbs@27″

                                                      68″ Dan Quillian Tracker 49lbs@28″

                                                    • michels_benny
                                                      Member
                                                        Post count: 1

                                                        I have 4 bows

                                                        Martin Jaguar 50@28. My first “trad” bow my wife bought it for me. I will never get rid of it.

                                                        Quinn stallion classic 50@28 killed my first trad deer with this bow

                                                        Thunderstick MOAB 62″ 58@28 first longbow

                                                        Don Dow Stik 62″ 50@28 my newest longbow love it

                                                        I will only add to these 4 bows. Next buy is a 56″ Don Dow 55 lbs or so. Sweet bows.

                                                      • coastalbendbows
                                                          Post count: 120

                                                          Currently I have about 10 bows. Mostly glass bows but do have a BBO and board bow. There all fun to shoot.

                                                        • wideangle
                                                          Member
                                                            Post count: 35

                                                            I recently sold my Howatts and a compound bow I shot sans sights with fingers. I now have two longbows; a 62″ and a 64″

                                                          • James Harvey
                                                            Member
                                                              Post count: 1130

                                                              One T/D recurve with 60 and 45 pound limbs

                                                              One old compound bow with a handful of aluminum arrows that lives under my bed with a hatchet (can’t have firearms for self defence in my neck of the woods).

                                                              My wife has a recurve too.

                                                              And the garage has a couple of PVC kids bows I’ve been making in anticipation of my kids wanting to be like daddy (we’ll see how that pans out).

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